Carlos Arias Navarro

Carlos Arias Navarro (11 December 1908-27 November 1989) was Prime Minister of Spain from 31 December 1973 to 1 July 1976, succeeding Torcuato Fernandez Mirando and preceding Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez.

Biography
Carlos Arias Navarro was born in Madrid, Spain on 11 December 1908, and he studied law there before joining the civil service at the Ministry of Justice. He joined the Falange during the Spanish Civil War, and he was nicknamed "the Butcher of Malaga" for signing thousands of death warrants during the White Terror following the city's conquest by the Falangists. From 1944, he became, successively, governor of Leon, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and Navarre. He became Director of General Security in 1957 before serving as Mayor of Madrid from 1965 to 1973, and Francisco Franco appointed him Prime Minister in 1973. Arias' main task was to provide for a gradual political liberalization to ensure a peaceful transition of power between Franco and King Juan Carlos, but he remained tainted by his long association with Franco even after the end of the fascist regime. Juan Carlos replaced him as Prime Minister with Adolfo Suarez Gonzalez, and Arias died in Madrid in 1989.